Digital imaging systems are well known and include, for example, digital image capture devices, digital cameras, digital displays, camcorders, digital video recorders, computers, and kiosks. Such digital imaging systems can capture content in the from of digital still images, motion video segments, audio segments and/or other information hereinafter referred to collectively as content and convert this content into digital data. The digital data representing such content is stored by the digital imaging system in a memory. However, memories of the type that can be economically incorporated into a digital imaging system typically have a relatively limited capacity. Accordingly, it is frequently necessary to transfer the digital data representing the content from the digital imaging system to a separate memory such as an archival memory.
One popular way to transfer digital data representing content to a separate memory is to use a personal computer. For example, a digital imaging system such as the Kodak EasyShare DX3600 digital camera can be programmed exchange data with a personal computer using an optional docking unit like the Kodak EasyShare™ docking station.
FIG. 1 shows an illustration of this prior art docking station and personal computer arrangement. In this example, a docking station 20 is connected to a personal computer 22 by way of a cable 24. Docking station 20 is adapted to receive a digital imaging system such as a digital camera 26. Computer software on personal computer 22 causes personal computer 22 to detect when digital camera 26 is connected to docking station 20 or to detect when a user of docking station 20 depresses a trigger button 28 on docking station 20. When the either these conditions are detected, the computer software causes personal computer 22 communicate with digital camera 26 and to extract content from digital camera 26 and to store this content in a memory (not shown) in personal computer 22. Docking station 20 also provides a connection that supplies power to digital camera 26 to recharge batteries (not shown) in digital camera 26.
The limitations of personal computers, such as personal computer 22, as content storage and processing devices are well known. Personal computers are often vulnerable to unanticipated failures occasioned by software conflicts, viral attacks, hardware incompatibilities, hardware failures and other mishaps. These failures can result in lost or damaged content and in difficulty in setting up and using the system. Further, to effectively utilize the personal computer, users must master an array of skills and software programs some of which are only somewhat related to the task of extracting and storing content obtained from an imaging system. Personal computers can also be burdensome to transport.
Despite these shortcomings of the personal computer, certain camera/docking station/personal computer arrangements have proven very successful. The success of these arrangements have given rise to a desire for a camera/and docking station arrangement that can be used to capture content and archive the content on a non-volatile medium with or without the use of a personal computer. Further, there is a need for a digital imaging system that can effectively archive content obtained by more than one digital imaging system.
Alternatively docking station systems have been developed such as the one that is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0149695 entitled “Cradle for Information Apparatus, Cradle for digital camera and camera system” filed by Kayanuma, on Oct. 17, 2002. Various cradle systems are described therein that can extract image data from a digital camera and store the image data on a memory that is external to the camera. This memory can comprise a memory card or a hard drive in the cradle. The cradle is operable to display images and to transfer them from an embedded internal memory in the camera to a removable media such as a solid state memory or optical disk. Portable information devices such as a digital camera that do not include a content display means such as a video display, or removable memory are typically limited in application and performance. Further, the cradle/camera systems described in the '695 application while useful in providing a means to compensate for the absence of a video display and removable memory characteristics, they are not intended for use in archival storage and do not address many of the challenges associated with archival content storage.
For example, it is often desirable for content editing functions to be performed before images are stored on an archival memory. These editing functions can include but are not limited to moving, copying, or otherwise changing a sequence of content, decreasing the length of scenes, or the order of scenes, or adding audio, text and/or graphics to the content. Such editing actions can be easily performed using conventional solid state or other forms of read/write memory. However, many consumers have expressed a preference for archiving content on archival memory with greater perceived reliability and accessibility. Optical disks such as CDs and DVDs are therefore preferred because they are archival in nature and operable in a vast array of low cost presentation and reproduction devices such as a CD players, personal computers, DVD player and the like. Typical of content stored on such optical media is that the content is fully edited prior to production. For example, a person will extract favorite songs from a particular album onto a CD while not coping other songs from the same album. The system of the '695 patent does not address this problem.
The system of the '695 patent also does not address organizational and integration problems that can arise when a docking station is used to exchange data with more than one camera. For example, it can be difficult to determine whether an image has been downloaded under such circumstances as different cameras can use the same file names or other identifiers to describe content. Further, different cameras can store content in different forms with each form being incompatible with the form used by other cameras or with archival image storage preferences. For example, video content can be captured by one camera using a capture type format such as an AVI form while a smaller, compressed, archival form such as an MPEG4 is preferred for use by another camera or for use in archival storage.
Some digital imaging systems attempt to avoid the use a personal computer for archiving content by designing digital cameras such as conventional digital video cameras and the Sony Mavica line of digital still and video cameras that have an archival memory writing device within the digital camera. The archival memory writing device stores digital images on to an archival memory such as a digital video tape, floppy disk, compact disk (CD) or digital video disk (DVD). However, this arrangement expands the size, weight and cost of the digital imaging system into which it is incorporated. In cases where the archival memory is of the write once type as is the case with some CDs and DVDs, automatically storing the captured content on the write once media reduces the ability to perform editing operations prior to image archiving.
Thus, a further need exists for a method and system for archiving images captured by a digital imaging system that does not require that the imaging system is equipped with writing devices for recording content on an archival memory.